In Michael Easter’s book, “The Scarcity Brain” he writes about the Our Lady Of Guadalupe Monastery in New Mexico and spending several days with the monks who live and work there. These monks live according to the Rule of St. Benedict, which proscribes a life focused on work and prayer for this isolated, self-sustaining monastery.
Easter describes how the monks’ days are dictated by praying at specific times each day, eating simple meals in silence, doing manual labor to support the community (farming, crafts, woodworking) and spending much time in silent contemplation.
He wrote, “Imagine knowing exactly what you would be doing today, tomorrow and every day for the rest of your life.”
The monks all worked together in mutually cooperative and voluntary community. In order to join, they had give up all of their worldly possessions to enter the monastic order. None had cell phones, bank accounts or personal belongings other than the basic robes. They relied on God, and the monastery to provide for all of their needs – from furniture and food, to security, peace of mind and protection.
He wrote of the quiet, the lack of distractions, being in nature and doing hard physical labor.
The monks are not silent all the time. Certain meals and times call for silence. Other times they are working and talking with one another. They also welcome visitors and sell products to outsiders, so although they are somewhat isolated, they are not hermits.
It sounded very appealing to me – except, of course, for the all the prayer and religious stuff.
It got me thinking what would life be like if:
- I didn’t have the Internet
- I never read the news
- I lived more simply with less stuff
I immediately thought that having access to the news doesn’t add anything positive to my life. It’s at best a diversion that is bad entertainment. Do I really care to hear about national politics, disasters that occur throughout the world, suffering that I cannot receive? It exposes me to a content stream of atrocities, absurdities and a$$holes.
I decided, once again, to limit my consumption of news.
I thought about living like a hermit. I tried the off grid, on my own, in nature life during my road trip. It didn’t work for me.
But it helped me find what did work – the way I live today, in society and yet, in many ways, intentionally apart from it.
For me, the Internet has enabled this life. I’m not giving it up. It adds too much value.
Yet, I’ve been pondering pulling back from society even more. My recent purging experience was liberating. Even now, when I don’t buy something I do not need or owhen I recall something I got rid of that no longer served me, I feel a little jolt of satisfaction.
I don’t think I’ll ever join a monastery. I’m not much of a joiner plus I can’t imagine I’ll abandon my atheistic beliefs.
But I suspect there are many more ways for me to explore some aspects of a simple, monastic life that will mesh well for me, right here, right now, in suburbia.
When I discover ones that seem appealing, I’ll try an few and see what works.
